Save Me, No One
by Evelyn Ravenclaw
Summary: Poppy Pomfrey has seen to many of 'her children' suffer. And it breaks her heart. But what makes her heart shatter, is when she doesn't know. Really sad, depressing. And, unfortunately, the mindset of most people Snape's thoughts . If you want more, review. STOP CHILD ABUSE!
1. Chapter 1

A/N MERLIN I HATE CHILD ABUSE! Call 911 or CPS if you know of any cases!

Just to warn you, sad horrible ending. This coukd be a one-shot, but tell be if you want nore! ;)

Disclaimer: ME NO OWN HARRY POTTER. ME NOT GOOD WRITER.

Save me

No one ever knew what Severus went through. Except Lily Evans, Lucius Malfoy, Remus Lupin, and myself. He was very good at being secretive you see; warding memories, powerful glamours, and healing potions were his specialities.

Lily was eight when she found out; the two attended the same primary school. Even at such a young age, it was bad. Severus was emaciated, always covered in bruises, and his clothes were atrocious!

She told me one time that he was out of school sick for nearly a month, after his father forced him to drink what the whale of a man dubbed Freaky Medicine. Of course, at the time, Miss Evans had no idea about our world.

The day she found out was the day Severus arrived at school early, still in his night sweats panting from running. His father had been drinking, and had been slinging his bottles around.

The boy would never admit he was scared; he was too proud for that. But Lily dragged him into the woods where they spent the rest of the day, planning on moving to a castle where they could live happily together forever.

Lucius Malfoy found out when Severus was twelve, and he himself was fifteen. A newly appointed prefect, it was the blond's job to notice things. And he noticed a lot.

Severus would limp and avoid people when a new school year began. He avoided people, never talked, constantly flinched... The worst part was the beaten puppy look that would flit across the young eyes.

The day Lucius found out was two months after the new term began. The boy hadn't been eating, and when he finally collapsed in the hall, the Malfoy boy tended to him, giving him a nutrient potion, among other things.

Severus was a fourth year when Remus Lupin found out.

Even being in Gryffandor, Remus noticed things and paid attention. His wolf senses tingled, feeling the obvious pain, worry, and sadness radiating off of the boy.

From what I know, the boy hated the pranks the Marauders played on poor Severus. He must have felt the the despair at the boy only having two reliable friends.

The day Lupin found out was the day Severus's mother died. It had been on Christmas Eve, late at night. Remus had been taking a late night stroll when he heard banging coming from a classroom. When he entered, he saw Severus destroying everything in sight, screaming that his father killed his mother, and that he was probably next.

I don't think Remus ever said anything, but he knew.

It was the first night of Severus's fifth year when I found out.

I was idly going through my stocks in the Hospital Wing cupboard, when the doors banged open. Lily was supporting an unconscious Severus Snape. I went into full Mediwitch mode.

That was when his glamours fell. Thus, when I found out.

I removed him from his home situation, not a moment too soon, seeing as his father hung himself the next summer.

I cry now, running my hands madly through my short hair, staring at the one occupied bed in my virtually untouched hospital wing.

It took me five whole years to figure out about Severus's home life. But I DID figure it out.

I never figured this case out.

"How blind am I?" I whisper into the almost empty wing.

I stroke the seventeen year old's dirty black hair and stare down to his face, which bares more scars than were there before.

"You aren't blind," came a hoarse voice. I whirl around staring at the source.

"You-I-You're alive!" I squeak to the man, who was being supported by a stunned looking Draco Malfoy.

"Brilliant observation, Poppy," Severus Snape sneered, as he settled into a bed, holding tight to his still leaking neck.

"Harry... he told us..."

"He did, did he?" Snape asked. Despite the mock annoyance, the man seemed relieved. "Good. Maybe Minerva won't kill me... Or you."

I sighed. "You'd have to wait in line. Vernon and Petunia Dursley are first." At his curious look, I gestured to the poor boy in my bed.

Harry's glamours had fallen indeed. His whole body was lined with scars years old. He was at least six inches shorter and several pounds lighter than we remembered. Bones were oddly mended, looking grotesque beneath his thin paper like skin.

"I already healed his injuries from the final battle. But I ran a full diagnostic scan... Did you know that he is ninety pounds; A seventeen year old? Or that he is about the size of a third year? Or that he could feel every bloody curse that deranged maniac casted?" I yelped, watching Draco and Severus pale.

"What? But... but Death Eater meetings... they happened durning the school year! All those Cruciatus curses..." Draco whispered in sympathy, seeing as Harry had saved his life during the final battle and vouched for him in the end, before he passed out.

"I... I never noticed," Severus moaned, running his hands through his blood matted hair. I quickly started tending to his wounds.

"To be truthful, I don't think anyone did, not really. He didn't have a Lily, Lucius, Remus, or myself. He was all alone." I shook my head. "For seventeen years."

Draco stood staring at Mr. Potter for a moment, before raising his wand and recasting the glamours, making the boy look as he always did. Severus looked at the blond's retreating form for a minute.

"Whats done is done, I suppose. He's alive," Severus said unsurely.

I stared down at the boy. "He is alive, but is still as dead as the people lying in the Great Hall."

Severus adjusted his bandage on his neck, looking down at the boy once more, before leaving.

A/N You want more? Review!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Holy cow! Thank you sooo much for the reviews! I guess I will continue with Save Me, No One! Thank you for the idea Allstoriesrock so do authors! I will definitely use it! And yes, Harry is alive. Poppy was just referring to his soul or spirit being dead. (She's just guessing though).

I think I'll make the rest of the story third person point of view, if that is all right (It's really hard to remember to write in first person).

Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 2

Harry Potter opened his eyes to a foggy white place, certainly not the dark Great Hall, where he had been meeting with Aurors about getting a pardon for Draco Malfoy.

"Oh, Mr. Potter. You're awake..." Madam Pomfrey said from somewhere to his left. She didn't say it briskly, like normal. She sounded tired and sad.

"Yeah. Why am I here?" Harry asked, as he sat up.

"Oh! You, uh, passed out. Probably from strain on your magical core." If Harry didn't know any better, he would have said the strict woman sounded pained.

"Are you all right?" the man asked, rubbing his scar, smiling at the pain-freeness of it.

The woman grimaced. "Fine dear. Just a bit tired." Harry narrowed his eyes, frowning. Dear? Since when did she call him dear?

A slight twinge of panic swept through his veins. She said strain on his magical core. Did his glamours collapse? No, impossible... They had been up for years! But still...

"Uh, I should be going. Got some work to do, ya know. Draco..."

"Mr. Malfoy has been in here already," Poppy stated quietly. At Harry's raised eyebrow, she added, "Assisting Prof-Headmaster Snape. He's alive."

Harry was on his feet in seconds, pulling on his ruined trainers and attempting to clean his glasses. "Where is he?"

Pomfrey hesitated. "I think he went to Alb-his office. Wait! I haven't released you yet-"

"Bye Madam Pomfrey!" the black haired, green-eyed man shouted over his shoulder, as he rushed out the door.

Poppy shook her head. The parallels between Severus and Harry seemed more pronounced now. The older man would never remain in the hospital wing long, always hating being 'mollycoddled'. But Harry was worse, due to the fact he spent so much of his time there in the first place. 'Merlin, he was here so many times! How did I not see?' Then again, only Saint Mungos was allowed to cast full diagnostic spells, the glamour cutter ones.

Poppy vowed that THAT rule would change and SOON.

The seventeen year old barreled down the half-way cleaned hallways almost knocking over several people, before skidding to a stop outside the gargoyle.

"Dumbledore!" the boy shouted. Nothing. "Lemon drop? No, why on Earth would Snape put THAT as his password..." Harry paused. "Lily?" Yep, that did the trick.

The energy seemed to drain from the man as he walked up the dusty spiral staircase. The large oak door was still the same. He knocked.

"Enter," came the reply. Harry couldn't help but be reminded of fifth year, when that voice beckoned him into Occlumency lessons. 'Only two years ago, and yet it seems as though it was a different life!'

Harry slowly stepped in wand drawn.

And there he was. The man Harry was sure died in his arms; standing there looking as alive as he had been as the Potions Master Harry had encountered when he was eleven.

Though he looked a lot older, as well. The man's hair had a hint of steel grey, and his face had more wrinkles than Harry had ever seen. "Professor Snape," Harry greeted curtly. "What was the spell that I used on Draco Malfoy sixth year?"

"Potter. And the answer is Sectum Sempra. How did I 'die'?"

Harry swallowed down the raw emotion that bubbled up in his throat. For some reason, Severus's death effected him more than all the rest, even before he watched the memories. Maybe it was that Snape died in his arms; that Harry was the last thing he saw... "Nagini killed you, but I think Tom used Sectum Sempra on you first..." Snape nodded sharply, before sitting down in the chair.

"Let's talk."

A/N All righty then! Snape won't bring up the subject of Harry's abuse yet, but it will come up. Maybe. And Draco WILL enter again. But for now, review!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N So I was talking to myself (I know, strange), trying to figure out how this chapter will work. So, here we go!

Disclaimer: Do I write like JK Rowlings? Do I look like JK Rowlings? Do I sound like JK Rowlings? Then STOP ASKING IF I OWN HARRY POTTER!

Lol, that was epic! On with the story!

Save Me, No One

Chapter 3

Harry was feeling like a first year again (terrified of the towering dark man), despite him being an adult.

For one, the glare he was receiving almost made the young man forget about what he saw in the Pensieve!

Plus, the man was STILL taller than him. That irked Harry to no end.

And the silence. Harry was SURE, this is what Muggles meant when they used the phrase, "deafening silence". For thats what they were suspended in.

The teen bit his lip slightly, disturbed by the lack of silver spinning objects, noisy Phoenixes, talking hats, and snoring portraits. In all truth, it was so still in Dumbledore's old office, that one would think it was frozen in time.

"I see you haven't changed his office much..." Harry spoke up, trying to break the silence. He figured when Snape said, "Lets talk," he'd have something to talk ABOUT.

"No," was his only reply. Harry sighed, starting to get annoyed.

"Okay then."

Snape was still looking at him expectantly, but Harry wasn't sure what to say, so he looked at the only present portrait: Dumbledore, who was watching the two men like a table-tennis match.

"I assumed you had a reason for interrupting my busy schedule?" Severus ground out, finally. Harry couldn't help but think 'What schedule? School is over!' But no, there was no paper work on his desk. Snape had been expecting him.

"Uh, yeah. How did you, um, live?" Harry stuttered.

"A skin-knitting spell, a blood replenisher, and an anti venom," was answered curtly. Harry blinked, dazed.

"But how? I saw you die! You even died with your eyes open!" Harry exclaimed, exasperated.

"A stasis spell. Simple." Harry nodded his acceptance. That WOULD give the appearance of being dead. These short answers were starting to get on the younger man's nerves, though.

"And you just, what? Come strolling up here? Were you suicidal?" Even though Harry knew everyone heard his little shouting match about Snape with Voldemort, Snape didn't know that.

"Yes, and yes." Well that answer took Harry by surprise.

"Huh?"

"Eloquent as ever, Potter," Snape sneered, then sobered. "Yes, I did want to die. Whether it be at the hands of the Dark-Volde-Tom Riddle, or the Aurors, I didn't care."

"So why the precautions to not die by Nagini?" Harry asked, for he didn't understand. Why go to all the trouble to heal yourself, just to get killed anyway?

"My job was unfinished." At the younger man's raised eyebrows, he said quietly, "My job was to take care of Voldemort. Finish him off."

That did make sense. And how ironic would it be! "All right... So, after I, um, defeated him, why, uh..." He didn't want to say it.

"Why didn't I kill myself? Simple. You."

"Me?" Harry exclaimed. He felt a bubble of happiness bloom in his stomach. He was the reason another person wasn't lying lifeless in the Great Hall!

Snape rolled his eyes. "I thought you had died, so I had no purpose to live. My duty is to take care of you."

Anger and hurt replaced the happiness. "Your DUTY? What am I, paper work?"

"I am to make sure you don't get yourself killed, Potter, it is my duty to honor Lily's sacrifice. Maybe you should do the same sometime!" Snape snarled, rising from his chair as Harry did.

Words flowed through Harry's mind:

'But this is touching Severus. Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?' Dumbledore asked, eyes twinkling.

'For him?' Snape stared, before bellowing, 'Expecto Patronum!'

'After all this time?'

'Always,' Snape whispered...

When Harry watched, he thought Snape meant him. 'After all this time' of Snape hating him and berating him, he still cared? And Snape said he 'always' cared.

But Harry was beginning to doubt that.

"You said you cared!" Harry growled lowly and menacingly, feeling hurt that Snape thought he didn't care about all his mother did for him.

"I care about one person, and she has been dead for SIXTEEN YEARS!" Snape bellowed, turning red in the face.

Hurt flooded through Harry. What Snape said in the pensieve, THAT had been what gave him the drive to defeat Voldemort, the power to walk to his death. And now that feeling of being cared for so strongly... It was gone.

Harry glared fiercely at his former professor, before barreling down the staircase and as far away from his mother's ex best friend as possible.

A/N Don't hate me! Their fight needed to happen! So put down your chainsaw!

I'll update as soon as possible. Just need to figure out a place for Harry to run to...

And about that whole After all this time, Always thing. I never understood it. Did Snape care for Harry, or not? ^_- Oh well...

Review!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N This chapter is pretty tense. My heart is racing! And I'm writing it! I have to look through it one more time before I post, because I was like writing in time with my heart beat. Intense. And soooo sad!

Disclaimer: I do not own Mr. Potter. He and Mr. Snape would have become great friends if I did.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 4

Harry stumbled into the astronomy tower before collapsing, sobs breaking his normally calm facade. He wasn't exactly sure why he was crying, just that he needed to so unbearably bad.

'Why am I crying about Snape? This is ridiculous!' the rational voice in his head growled.

'Has anyone ever cared about you?' a sad voice asked.

'Ron and Hermione!'

'Are you sure they didn't care about The Boy Who Lived?'

'Ginny!'

'Oh please.'

'The other Weasleys?'

'They won't anymore. You got Fred killed.'

'Remus!'

'Just a teacher.'

'Sirius! Sirius cared!' the voice cried desperately.

'You were just James's son to him and you know it!'

"No..." Harry moaned, running his hands over the rough floor

But he knew it was true. No one had cared for him, not really. The Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived, Gryffandor Golden Boy, Savior of the Wizarding World, yes. But not him.

Harry didn't want to admit it, but the idea of Snape or anyone caring for him was his number one wish. Harry would have gone on living blissfully ignorant if Snape had died; thinking Severus had truly cared.

"And here I come to find out he doesn't even give a damn!" Harry yelled, pulling his hair furiously, tears of overwhelming pain coursing down his flushed face.

Harry wanted love. He wanted to be loved. Why would no one grant him that one wish?

He found his thoughts drifting to his parents. Would they still love him, even after all the deaths he's caused?

Something overcame the young man. A strange calmness, almost an accepting feeling that he would never be held or hugged or comforted. He would forever be alone.

And he was okay with that.

Harry looked to the edge of the tower where rogue spells had blasted off part of the waist-high stone wall.

He knew what he was going to do.

His job was, after all, complete. Everyone would be safe from Voldemort.

And no one would care any way. Snape would probably think of it as a ploy to get attention.

He wondered if his glamours would collapse? The Dursleys would get a rude awakening, thats for sure. But Harry couldn't bring himself to care.

He was calm.

He could feel every heart beat, every minuscule drop of blood coursing through his veins.

He wondered if he would go to Heaven, or Hell, or neither.

Buzzing filled his ears as he strode over to the ledge, as if a diver preparing for the leap into the icy water far below.

Then he felt his body still, everything around him become silent, except for the deep breath that filled his lungs. His last breath.

Then he stepped off.

A/N Tense. The description of Harry before he stepped off is similar to how it feels to bungy jump. Really strange... Really random... SNAPE NOSE! |:-) Hahaha love it!

Review! Make this story happy! Make this Ravenclaw happy!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N A conversation with Dumbledore. Dun dun duhhhh...

Disclaimer: I highly doubt JK Rowlings would have to write disclaimer, should she choose to do Fanfiction. Thus, I am not her.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 5

As soon as Potter went running out of Severus's office, a deep sigh behind him made him whirl around.

"What do you want, Albus?" he asked wearily, as he sunk down into the chair.

"Why must you torment the boy so. He is only a child," Albus said. Severus could feel the disappointment in the portrait's voice.

"He is a man. He has already done a life's worth of work, experienced as much as YOU. I can hardly consider him a child, as you say," Snape sneered.

"He indeed has experienced more than his fair share of trials. Most of which, I admit, I created..." Dumbledore trailed off.

"Did you know he was abused by his family?" Snape asked suddenly, turning to face the portrait.

Dumbledore hesitated, not looking at the greasy black haired man before him. "Abused, no. Neglected, yes."

Snape had to rein in his temper. "And you didn't do anything because..." Severus growled through gritted teeth.

"I believed," Albus said slowly, "that it would help him in the long run."

"So. You not only raised him like a pig for slaughter, but you decided to turn him into clay that you could mold for ypur own twisted reasons?"

"No, Severus! Not at-"

"So you betrayed him. Did he know you knew, of the neglect, that is?"

A pause.

"I mentioned his room for the first ten years of his life, yes," Albus said vaguely.

"His room being..."

"The cupboard under the stairs," was spoken guiltily.

Severus rubbed a weary hand over his face. "So he knew you knew. You, his mentor, the one person he had left to look up to, betrayed him beyond recognition! YOU disgust ME!"

There was a long silence.

"I DID care about him though," Albus's quiet voice echoed.

Snape froze. What had he said again? "My DUTY is to take care of you," and, "I care about one person and she has been dead for sixteen years."

The boy's face. At first he thought it was disgusted when he said this. He WAS talking about the boy's mother anyway. But now... the amount of hurt was almost tangible. The amount of pain. The lost look in the eyes.

Severus was unsure why the boy even cared if he cared, or not. He had his sidekicks, the Weasleys, Longbottom, Lovegood, his fan club, Lupin, the mutt, and his parents, not to mention Dumbledore.

But even as he rang off the names, some unknown feeling started to rush through his body. Suddenly, he just couldn't sit still.

"I'm going for a walk," Severus said, as he strode from the office to the place that could always calm him.

A/N Gee, I wonder where? Yeah...

So I was watching the sixth movie, and Dumbledore makes a reference to the cupboard under the stairs. Grrrrrr... Sometimes that man irks me!

Reviews make me smile and make your story better! And if you like the battle of the whole:

"But this is touching Severus. Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?"

"For him? Expecto Patronum!"

Thing, than you should read my one-shot "Care? For him?" Sooooo sad, but sooooo sweet too!

So review!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N Bleah. Feel awful. Stupid drowsy cold medicine. Any ideas of what to write for my next fanfiction, cause Im at a loss. What should I update after this?

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I would have spoken at the Olympics earlier this week. But no, I'm stuck here on bloody North America. Yippie

Save Me, No One

Chapter 6

A gentle breeze hit Severus's face as he walked up the Astronomy tower.

Confusion was obvious on the man's face, due to the seemingly random adrenalin rush. He felt as though he could run for miles and never stop!

As soon as Severus set foot on the landing of the tower, his body sprang into motion.

The man raced forward, hooked a thin, yet strong arm around the younger man's chest, hauling him backwards.

They laid there on the stone floor for a second, before Snape yelled, "What, in the name of bloody Merlin, were you THINKING?"

Harry snapped up, glaring at his teacher, though it lost most of it's effect due to the tears trailing down his furious face. "Why can't you people just leave me alone?"

Snape's fist caught the boy's shirt, dragging him forwards until they were nose to nose. "Leave you to your DEATH? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?"

"YES!" Harry screamed with finality.

There was a long silence, which was filled with Harry's harsh breathing, and Severus dusting himself off. The sun was setting, making the room almost glow orange. The older man suddenly realized his body felt Potter's impending suicide before his mind even registered the fact, ergo, the adrenalin.

"Why do you want to die?" Severus said finally, remembering (actually) how good it felt for the boy to ask him the same question.

The boy laid back on the floor, looking up at the blossoming stars. "I... I'm just so tired. Don't I at least deserve to rest?"

Severus looked at the boy, how much he looked like James, then looked away. "Yes. But there are better ways-"

"Yeah. Try resting with MY nightmares. And after... this," Harry gestured to the grounds of Hogwarts, which were covered in debris, "I doubt I will ever sleep again."

"You will."

"How do YOU know?" Harry ground out.

"In all my years, I have seen worse. And I still carry on," Snape explained nonchalantly. Neither man would look at each other.

"Really? The way you were talking earlier, you were okay with marching to your death!" Harry muttered.

Snape then looked at him, glaring daggers. "I didn't have anything to live for. You do."

"Like what?" the boy sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Your friends. Your fan club. Your... 'family'."

Harry narrowed his eyes. He noticed the way Snape bit out 'family'.

'But this is touching, Severus. Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?'

"I'm leaving," Harry stated abruptly, as he stood to go leave.

"Where will you go?" Snape asked, unsure of whether the boy had gotten over being suicidal.

"Away from here."

A/N Sorta anticlimatic, in my opinion. Would've liked to make it better, but I wasn't sure what to say.

What should happen next? Where should Harry go after he leaves Hogwarts? How will Draco be involved? Will Ron, Hermione, and Harry still be close? Harry/Luna? Harry/Ginny? Harry/? ? You decide!

Review!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N another suicide attempt. Really short chapter. But you know. Life.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Cah-Reepy.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 7

It was weird how hard breathing seemed here. How the oppressive fog seemed to engulf the whole place.

But it was fine for Harry, as he curled up between his parents. Or more like their headstones...

Harry knew he was crying, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. And he was so cold...

Why did Snape have to stop him? He of all people should have understood what it meant to want to die, to want to rest! And to have that taken away from him...

"Mum? Dad? I-I've never asked you for anything before and...and wanted it so much. I... I wanna die. I WANNA DIE!" Harry screamed, clawing at the ground.

"Please. Let me die," he whispered, as he conjured a silver and green dagger. He almost laughed at the irony.

He plunged it into his neck.

"PROFESSOR!" Draco's voice bellowed, as he tried to beat down the gargoyle. Severus appeared at the door, scowling down at the rumpled blond.

"What on earth do you-"

"It's Potter, professor!" Draco breathed heavily, as if he had ran there. Which it seemed he had. "He...he tried to...to kill...kill himself..."

Snape's eyes widened. Again? He figured, or more like hoped, that the boy was over his suicidal thoughts. Apparently not. But where had he gone? And where was he now? And tried?

"What happened? Where is he?" Severus asked as he pulled on his long black over-coat and marched out the door.

"He tried to stab himself in Godrics Hollow... by his parents graves..." Snape turned to the boy wide-eyed. "Don't worry, I stopped him. And before you ask what I was doing there, I wanted to see his house..." Snape nodded. He himself had to visit Godric's Hollow on several occasions... for closure.

Severus strode into the infirmary with Draco... again; to see Mr. Potter... again; and to see Madam Pomfrey bawling by his bed. Again.

The boy was out cold, and had a recently stitched up wound on his neck. It didn't look too deep, thank Merlin.

But the boy's glamours had fell again, revealing the impossibly tiny child covered in old wounds.

Severus glanced at Draco, half expecting the boy to recast the glamours like last time. Hoping really.

But he knew it was in vein.

"Its killing him, all of this," Draco whispered. Poppy touched the curled-up boy's hair softly, but Harry jerked away, cringing. She bit her lip hard.

"He can't carry on. Not like... this," she gestured to the still sickly form.

Snape nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps Aurora-

"SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE, DONT YOU DARE!" Poppy growled loudly at the man.

Snape would have argued, had he not been so tired. And weary. And guilty.

After an eternity of just staring at the boy, Severus recast the glamours again, much to the other two's shock and fury. But he raised his hands defensively.

"If we-I am to help him, he must show me on his own." Poppy looked suspicious, but Malfoy nodded. "Inform me of when he awakens. It appears we are long overdue for a talk-a real talk."

A/N short, I know. But you know.

Finding Nemo moment:

"Hey. What's that?"

"I... I see a review button."

"A review button?"

"Yes. Over there."

"*gasp* I see it too!"

"I wanna... touch it."

Yes. Touch the review button. Or a giant vampire fish will bite you. So yep!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N Pretty short chapter, but still an update. Harry's not the only one who's falling apart at the seams. Poor Sevie and Harry, I torture them so. Well, the time to heal is drawing near...

Disclaimer: Um, a universe where an untrained neglected teenager has to defeat a homicidal megalomaniac? No, didn't come up with it... _ _

Save Me, No One

Chapter 8

Two days later, a silvery transparent dove flew into Albus's office, informing Severus that Potter was awakening.

The tall man strode with purpose through the ancient halls, though he was uneasy. How was he supposed to talk to Potter? Obviously, he didn't get through the first time.

'Oh, I got through to him the FIRST time. I pushed him right over the edge with my words. Literally.'

Severus rolled up the sleeves on his long sleeved black smock, as he stood outside the Hospital Wing, still unsure of how to talk to the boy. Finally, he strode in and stood tall above the boy in the bed.

"Come here to mock me, Snape?" Potter snapped, not looking at the man.

"I would, but it would be counterproductive, don't you think?" Severus sneered. He mentally kicked himself. He just couldn't do 'nice'.

Harry laughed bitterly. "Merlin forbid... Why are you here anyway?"

Snape rose an elegant eyebrow. "I have yet to transfer the duties of being Headmaster to Minerva, therefore I have to be here."

The boy seemed to deflate, sinking deeper into the bed.

'Great. What did I say this time... Oh shit, duties. Again!'

'Duties. Have to be here. The man just knows how to rub me the wrong way,' Harry thought, closing his eyes tiredly. He just wanted to disappear, to be numb. Dead. But no one would let him! 'Why won't they let me die?! None of them care about me!'

Snape. 'He wanted to die. And in good reason, given his life. The only reason he's staying alive is because its his "duty". So if I die, it'd be a relief...'

"Why won't you let me die?" Harry asked tiredly. "Wouldn't it be a relief? We could both rest, not have to feel anything anymore?"

Severus looked at the boy. "And let your mother's sacrifice be in vein?"

"It already has been!" Harry shouted, sudden rage boiling inside of him. "Have I EVER LIVED?"

Severus looked at the flushed boy in the bed. "Yes." Though now, the tall man wasn't so sure... 'The glamours...' a ghost of a voice whispered in his head.

Harry's face seemed to distort, twisting in anger. "You have no idea. None."

"Oh don't I? Haven't I been through just as much, if not more?" Snape growled, settling down into a chair, crossing his arms. It WAS true though. They had many of the same experiences. Too many...

"I don't know! All right? I don't." Harry shook his head, letting the shaggy hair fall in front of his face. Even with the glamours up, the younger man looked horrible, with grayish skin, dark circles under his tired green eyes, and a gaunt face. Severus didn't look much better, having lost lots of weight during the school year...from stress.

"I assume... in some ways... you do," Severus stated slowly. Harry looked away.

"I loved your mum, Lily. It... was physically painful when I lost her. Pain that numbs the mind, and makes your chest feel like its being squeezed through a tube. She was my best friend... I can only imagine never knowing her, especially if she was my mum..." Harry pulled his knees up to his chest, closing his eyes, tightly. He couldn't hear this... it was too painful...

Severus shook his head. That hadn't been what he meant to say, and it seemed to only be injuring the boy more. He quickly changed tactics.

"I'm sorry Harry. I really am. For... everything..." Severus watched as the boy rolled over, facing the opposite way as him, and curled into a fetal position.

"Stop. Stop, please. Please just leave. Just leave. Please..." was being whispered quietly, and Severus stood to, for once, do what was good for the boy.

He left.

"Minerva?" Severus asked, walking into the staff room wearily. It was high time for this to happen. His lone trunk was packed, and floating behind him.

"Yes, Severus?" the older woman asked, looking at the the younger man. "You look ill."

He shrugged. "I have filled out the appropriate forms. Congratulations, you are now Headmistress." He turned to leave.

"But Severus, where will you go?" Minerva asked, worried about the defeated way he was acting.

"I don't know. I just can't stay here any longer. This place used to set me free, but now, its like a prison..." he shook his head, leaving the room.

"Good luck!" the new Headmistress shouted after him.

A/N pretty short, but you know. Draco comes in soon! ;-) Maybe Luna as well. Anyone else? Blaise or Tracey? Should I just leave Ron and Hermione out of this? You decide!

Review! |:-D))


	9. Chapter 9

A/N I know, last chapter was really sucky. But what can I say? I really shouldn't be watching the Olympics while I'm typing. Lol

Anyway, Harry gets a visitor. Hopefully this chapter won't be another epic fail...

Disclaimer: Not that good of a writer... Therefore, do not own HP.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 9

Harry Potter hated the Hospital Wing; he always had. And now, even more than ever.

Madam Pomfrey was hanging around, constantly watching him. And if it wasn't her, then it was McGonagol, Flitwick, Sprout, Slughorn, etc. Thankfully, Snape had yet to make another appearance.

Just the thought of the dark man made Harry feel... unsure of how he felt.

On one hand, Snape just knew how to push his buttons, constantly saying the wrong thing, throwing Harry off balance. That made the young man's blood boil.

On the other hand, the man, despite not caring about him, seemed to-if that made any sense. But Harry wasn't even sure he wanted the man to care anymore (Snape had seemed a little off during his last visit, completely changing directions with the conversation. Multiple times).

The Boy Who Lived was just beyond frustrated. Both with his ex Professor, and his own errant emotions.

The next day, Harry awoke to find someone different in the Hospital Wing.

"You!" Harry snapped, glaring at Draco Malfoy. "And I granted you a full pardon?"

The blond boy glared. "Hey, I saved your life-"

"I didn't want to be saved!"

Draco sneered, very Snape-like. Maybe it was a Slytherin thing... "Obviously, since you WERE trying to kill yourself... Why were you?"

Harry shrugged. "Too many reasons to count, really. The war... its been rough on a lot of people..."

Draco rubbed his forehead, trying to smooth out the worry lines that had started to appear sixth year. "Don't I know."

"Why are you here, anyway?" Harry asked, sitting up against the pillow.

"To see you. I was... sorta worried..." Draco blushed, rubbing his clean-shaven chin.

Harry quirked an eyebrow. "Worried. About me."

"Well, you didn't see yourself that night! Bleeding all over..." Malfoy cried indignantly.

They fell into an uneasy silence, as Draco seemed to search for something to say. "You need to shave, Potter."

The black haired teen laughed, rubbing his chin where curly black hairs were abundant. "I know. I'm turning into Hagrid."

"Doubtful. You're way to small..." Draco trailed off, his face turning slightly pained. Harry looked away, fearing that somehow, the blond ex Death Eater knew...

"When will they be letting you out?" Draco asked, quickly changing the subject.

"I don't know. Hopefully soon."

"Where will you go? Once they let you out, that is?"

Harry opened his mouth, than shut it, actually unsure about where to answer. "Maybe I'll get my own place. Maybe I'll go to Gri-my godfather's old house. I really don't know."

Draco hesitated. "What about Weasel or Granger?"

Harry bit his lip. "I dunno. I don't think I can really talk to them after everything. We DID spend all of last year traversing the country together..."

"If you ever need anywhere to stay, Malfoy manner is always open. I'm sure mum would let you in and, you know."

Harry smiled slightly, pleased with the change that had happened between himself had Draco. Of course, sparing the boy a life sentence to Azkaban would do that. "I'm sorry about your dad. I tried-"

"I know. But you have to admit, he had a lot of evidence against him," Draco muttered bitterly, still angry that his father forced him to get the Dark Mark. "Its been nicer, though. At my house, I mean. Less presure." At Harry's raised eyebrow, the boy explained, "You have to live up to Malfoy standards. Be perfect, for lack of better words. Father was really tough on me..."

Harry's eyebrows scrunched together. "Did he yell at you a lot?"

Malfoy blushed. "Yeah, I guess."

Harry felt something niggling in the back of his mind. "Did he ever do anything... more... than yell at you?"

Draco looked uncomfortable, letting out a relieved sigh when Poppy entered. "All right, Mr. Malfoy, you may go now. Have a pleasent trip!"

"Thank you Madam Pomfrey. See you around, Potter," the boy said, as he left the room.

Harry stood up, stretching. Finally, the darned Mediwitch was letting him get up from the blasted bed. Spending a week bedridden in an empty Hospital Wing is really boring.

The conversation with Draco was bugging him. The hesitation that the other man gave, when Harry had asked (in a slightly round about way) if his dad ever hit him. Harry was sure Draco knew what he had meant when he had asked; the recognition flashed in his grey eyes.

But why didn't he say anything?

'Have you?!' a voice in his head screamed. Harry told the voice to shove it.

"Harry dear? You have to eat," Madam Pomfrey urged, causing the boy to take a bite of the pizza the house elves had whipped up.

"Sorry. I was thinking," Harry muttered with his mouth full, causing the woman to frown.

"Chew, please. What were you thinking about?"

"Draco. I think his dad... I think his dad used to hit him..." Harry shook his head, angrily. Just saying this made it more real. And MAN!did Harry hate people who hurt the children entrusted to their 'care'.

Poppy sighed, saying, "I think so too."

A/N I know, strange ending. But whatever. Seemed better than lat chapter, but I dunno. So REVIEW, please!


	10. Chapter 10

A/N A few weeks later. Harry's settling in. Someone pays a visit.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harold James Potter.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 10

Harry looked around his apartment, smirking slightly. Imagine what Rita Skeeter would say to Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, living in a tiny studio apartment in the middle of Muggle London.

It was very small indeed, with only room for a couch, tiny tv, mini fridge, bookshelf, desk, and a couple chairs. There was no color in the apartment, but a few spells could fix that. The view was less than desirable (a brick wall), but that didn't matter. The less Muggles to look in and see "foolish wand-waving", the better.

But no matter. He was just happy that after two mind-numbing weeks in the Hospital Wing, Pomfrey finally released him.

Even though it had been boring, the urge to kill himself had dimmed, until it finally extinguished totally. Harry figured that it didn't matter that he didn't have anything (like Voldemort) to live for. He could finally live for himself.

A knock at the door startled the man out of his reverie. Out of habit, he pulled on a sweatshirt over his bare chest, before answering. "Luna?!"

"Hello Harry," the young woman said with her misty voice, turning bright blue eyes to him. Harry smiled widely, quickly pulling her into a hug.

"What are ya doin here?" he asked, still beaming at the girl.

"To see you of course, silly!" she smiled, looking around the cramped room.

"But how'd you find me?"

"The Liinocheas," the girl murmured, as though that would explain everything.

"Of course!" Harry said sarcastically, smacking his head. Luna gave him a playful glare.

"How have you been?" Luna asked, suddenly serious.

"Fine. You?" Harry said, startled.

"I've been good... Are you sure you're all right?" she asked worriedly.

Harry glared, annoyed. "Yes. I'm fine. Did Madam Pomfrey send you?"

"No. I came on my own. But she DID ask me to ask how you were doing."

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry. She's just been a real pain lately..."

"I think she really cares about you," Luna said, sounding mildly reprimanding.

"Oh, I know... It's strange, how she is calling me 'dear' all of the sudden..." Harry said thoughtfully. Then he shook his head and went about serving tea.

"Perhaps she knows about your home life," Luna said nonchalantly, causing Harry to slosh tea onto his sweatshirt.

"Know what about my home life?" Harry asked, slightly louder than necessary.

"That they starved you, That they hated you, That they beat you... Any number of things."

Harry stared at Luna baffled. She seemed to do that to him a lot. "Hold the phone!"

Luna looked up at him sadly. "We will waste a lot of time if you try to deny it, Harry."

The green eyed man rubbed his forehead, sinking further back into the armchair, before staring at Luna, waiting for an explanation. He didn't have to wait long.

"The Windlepipers told me, but I saw the signs before, especially at the beginnings of the school years. You were always so quiet, always eating less, as though you had to build up your appetite again... You're wearing glamours?"

Harry smiled slightly. "One of the things I actually excelled in."

Luna nodded. "They used to be stronger, but I'd see them flicker every once in a while, like in your third and fifth years. But they were really strong during the DOM Battle and the Final Battle."

Harry looked at her confused. "But why? Why are they stronger sometimes more than others?"

Luna finished her tea, setting it down. "You control them. I really don't know."

Harry felt conflicted. Why would his glamours be so... faulty.

"My guess, though, is when your subconscious sees someone who can help, they grow weaker. Such as in third year with Lupin, and in fifth year with Snape."

Harry almost did a spit take. "Snape?! Lupin, I can see, but Snape?! The last thing I wanted was for him to find out. That's why I worked so hard to hide THOSE memories during Occlumency lessons."

Luna looked at him as though he were stupid. "But he was an adult, a strong powerful adult that, believe it or not, you became sort of close to that year. Not a good close, but closer than the average student and teacher."

Harry nodded, angry with himself and Luna. Himself, because he had trusted the man, to an extent. Luna, for bringing him up, along with all the unwanted feelings that came with him.

Luna touched his hand gently. "You're glamours have been at their weakest after the Final Battle. I think you're tired of hiding and taking care of yourself. You need someone to care for you."

Harry shook his head, letting the long black strands fall in his face. "Its too late for that. Hiding and being self-sufficient is all I have anymore."

Luna opened her mouth to protest, but decided against it. "If you ever need anything..." Harry smiled.

"Yeah, I know. McGonagol, Pomfrey, and Draco already gave me that spiel."

Luna raised her invisible eyebrows. "Draco?"

Harry smiled sadly, nodding. He walked Luna to the dark red door, hugging her goodbye.

"You're really great, you know that?" Harry smiled, causing the girl to blush, before leaving.

A/N A visit to Malfoy manner soon. Harry gets a job. Life starts to normal out. Then something happens...

Review! Is there anything you guys want in this?


	11. Chapter 11

A/N A visit to Malfoy Manor, some interesting guests, unwanted thoughts, and a hug for Harry.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I just play around with them for a bit.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 11

Harry landed ungracefully on a gravel pathway, sprawling about with limbs twisted. 'Even after a year of apparating, I can't even manage to stay on my bloody feet!'

After brushing the tiny stones off his jeans, Harry looked up at the iron gates that lead upto Malfoy Manor. The place looked very scary, with how big and imposing it was, but Harry imagined it must have looked worse when Voldemort was in residence there. 'In fact, it DID,' Harry thought, remembering their little excursion into the abode, at the end of the previous year.

The gates opened, and Harry stepped through, before grinning.

It was obvious Mrs. Malfoy had been busy.

Brightly colored flowers bloomed everywhere: Blood red roses, violet tulips, golden sunflowers, hot pink dragon tongues, vibrant green grass and trees, sparkling blue water... The place was a rainbow!

Suddenly, a hard peck to the head made the boy spin, almost toppling over. A tall, pure white bird stood over him, odd feathers sticking up on top of the creature's head. 'A peacock? What the-?'

"Harry, dear!" came a warm voice.

Harry turned to see Mrs. Malfoy standing there. Her blond hair was pulled back with a green and silver bandana, and her clothes looked like normal gardening clothes.

"I've been busy," she laughed, gesturing around her. Harry couldn't help but think that the woman seemed a lot nicer and calmer without her husband around. Thoughts of his conversation with Draco came unwillingly.

"Hello Mrs. Malfoy. Do you need any help?"

"No, not at all, dear." There was dear again. 'What? I suddenly win the war and I become "dear"?' "Come on in, Astoria and Daphne have stopped by as well."

Harry and Narcissa walked slowly through the mansion. Harry noticed how the mansion was like a sick person: When he was last there, when the mansion was overrun by darkness, it looked pale and dreary. Now it looked healthy, with all the color everywhere.

"You seem a lot..." Harry couldn't describe it.

She smiled sadly. "Yes... It is more... a relief that Lucius is gone, than not..."

Harry nodded, understanding. "I'm sorry about Bellatrix, I know you guys were close..."

Narcissa nodded, but said, "You shouldn't have to be sorry, especially not about her."

They walked into the kitchen, where Astoria and Daphne Greengrass and Draco were sitting on bar-stools at the counter.

"Hey, Potter. This is Astoria, and you know Daphne," Draco said politely, as he downed a coke.

Harry rolled his eyes, before shaking the women's hands. "Nice to meet you. Your house looks a lot... warmer now."

Draco smiled. He looked better as well. Some of the grey color that had taken to his skin had dissolved into a light tan. His blond hair looked less greasy, more natural. And the boy's arm was Dark Mark free.

Astoria smiled at Harry. "Its cool to finally meet you. You'd think after all these years I'd know you."

Harry shrugged. "Aren't you a couple years younger than Daphne?"

Astoria nodded. "This is going to be my sixth year. Last year was like hell, with those stupid Carrows teaching. I'll be lucky if I pass my OWLS."

Daphne closed her eyes, leaning back slightly. "I'm glad our parents weren't the Pureblood supremacy type. Course, I almost became one, hanging around with Pansy..."

Harry tilted his head. "What happened to all the Slytherins. I know Pansy got you guys locked up..."

Daphne shrugged. "Tracey, Astoria, Theo, and I got away. We weren't guilty or anything. The four of us took down Rookwood!"

Harry gave a small smile. He hated thinking about That Day. Remus- No. Don't think about that now. You've got a life to live.

"So, where are the other two thirds of the Gryffindor Golden Trio?" Astoria asked innocently.

Draco opened his mouth, but Harry said, "Probably at the Weasleys. I haven't really talked to them since the Final Battle."

Astoria blushed. "Sorry."

Harry shrugged, sipping his coke. "So what are you doing now that you're out of school?" he asked Daphne.

"I'm going study as an Apprentice to Ollivander. He's getting pretty old..." Harry nodded, remembering when they rescued the man from 'this very house'. "What about you two?"

Draco shrugged. "I'm going to get my Potion's Mastery, I think. Then maybe work at Diagon Alley. I dunno, I'll probably rest here for a while. Its been a long time since I've been able to do THAT."

Harry thought for a minute. "I really don't know. I'll have to check around. I'll probably get a job as some type of Mediwizard, since Saint Mungos is pretty near my apartment."

Daphne raised her eyebrow. "You live on your own already?"

Harry shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, I guess. I have no idea where my relatives are right now."

Astoria and Daphne looked at him sympathetically, while Draco and Narcissa looked away.

"You're going to work at a bookstore? I thought you wanted to be an Auror."

Harry shrugged. "I really don't know what I'm gonna do. I'm living off my inheritance. Not really hard, though, when you pawn some Wizard money." At that, Narcissa laughed slightly, causing the three younger Purebloods to raise eyebrows.

"All of us Blacks, except for Bella and Regulas, took Muggle studies to drive our mothers mad! Druela was better than Walburga, but still had that whole anti-Muggle ideals," Narcissa explained. "That was very Slytherin of you, to not go to the Wizard/Muggle money exchange."

Harry gave a smug grin. "Well the hat DID want to put me in Slytherin."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "But it didn't?"

Here Harry blushed deeply. "I asked not to be... You weren't exactly that nice the first time we met."

Draco looked embarrassed. "Yeah, well, I give you that..."

Harry turned to Narcissa. "I don't mean to pry, but don't you hate Muggles as well?"

Narcissa looked slightly angry, but it was obviously not him she was upset with. "I haven't a problem with Muggles. Lucius on the other hand..."

Awkward silence.

Suddenly Astoria asked, "So who are you dating, Harry?"

Said boy almost did a spit take. "Excuse me?!"

Daphne blushed. "I'm sorry about her. You know fifteen year olds-"

' "Come on, Harry. All teenagers are like that at that age," Sirius spoke nonchalantly while Lupin nodded in the background...'

'Why did I think of that?' Harry thought, remembering that conversation and the horrible gut wrenching guilt he had felt at the Marauders' pranking. The Pensieve accident had really messed with his mind...

Snape drifted into his mind for a second, but he pushed the image away.

"No, it's all right. I'm not dating anyone at the time. You guys?" Harry asked, if anything, to distract himself from the unwelcome thoughts.

"Me? I don't think so!" Daphne cried, disgusted.

Draco rolled his eyes. "No one for me either."

Astoria gave Draco a sidelong glance, before saying boldly, "I'm dating Theodore Nott."

Harry smiled slightly at Narcissa, at the obvious lie. She smirked back, rolling her eyes. 'Its Ginny and me all over again...' Heartache overwhelmed the man, which was hard to swallow down. 'Stupid Michael Corner.' Apparently a year of living in the Room of Requirement together had brought the two close again...

"Hey, Harry. What about that Lovegood girl?" Narcissa asked, setting down a platter of watercress sandwiches.

Harry laughed slightly. "Nah, Luna and I are just friends."

The women shared a glance, while Draco rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Potter."

Harry smirked slightly, before saying, "I hate to leave so early, but I gotta go job hunting..."

The Greengrasses nodded, saying their goodbyes. Draco warned him to come soon. Narcissa insisted on walking him out.

She stopped him at the door, turning him by his shoulders to face her. "Harry, I can never thank you enough for getting the Ministry to grant Draco and myself pardons-"

"Don't mention it. I... didn't think you guys really enjoyed the whole Death Eater thing, anyway," Harry explained.

Narcissa smiled slightly at him, looking like a mother should at her son. "If you ever need anyone to talk to, or just sit with, I'm always here..."

Harry swallowed hard, nodding. And then it happened. The woman wrapped her thin arms around his bony shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. 'She's so warm...' Harry blinked back the tears that surfaced at the thought that he could count on one hand how many times someone had hugged him this way...

"I mean it child," she said, pulling away, her dark blue eyes sparkling like Dumbledore's.

Harry nodded, too choked up to speak, then turned, leaving through the heavenly garden.

A/N Next, Harry goes on a job search. A visit to Hogwarts, anyone?

Review!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N All right, sorry this took so long, but Ive been busy.

Disclaimer: I dun't own Harry Potter.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 12

Harry Potter stared down at the Daily Prophet, eyes tired and glazed. The whole thing was full of monotonous rambling about how great everything had gotten after the war.

Harry felt half relieved, half angry at the fact he was never mentioned. But that was expected; he was the Boy Who Was Meant To Save Everyone. And now that that job was over... who was he?

The Quibbler was constantly talking about him. Harry enjoyed that though, not for the attention (not that there was any. No one really reads the Quibbler.), but for the funny things said about him. 'I love Luna,' he thought, which caused a blush. 'Darn Malfoy and those Greengrass sisters.'

Harry was relieved, though, at not being the spotlight for once. No Rita Skeeter interviews there.

The man gave off a sigh, and turned to the Jobs section. There were several job openings, and several people asking for jobs. Harry skimmed over some of the letters:

Looking for a job with animals? Apparate to-

In need of a job involving Curse Breaking, PRONTO! If anyone-

I am in need of a job brewing potions. Contact at 24 Spinners End-

I am in need of an apprentice to manage my store-

'Nothing,' thought Harry. The man hadn't been sure at first what he wanted to do... but after mentioning becoming a Mediwizard... there could be no other choice. Basically... Harry wanted to help other kids... kids like him...

He shook his head to clear him of THOSE thoughts. Sometimes he forgot he wasn't THERE. He would flinch, wrap an arm around his plate as he ate, find himself washing dishes in boiling water, start crying when taking a bath, etc.

'But I'm not that kid anymore. I am a man, a strong man that can not be hurt!' Harry repeated the mantra in his head several times, before sinking down into his worn couch, flicking his wand idly at the fridge, to get a coke.

'I could visit Hogwarts... talk to Pomfrey...' Harry did NOT want to go back there. For some reason, he felt he would be shackled and forced to stay...

He laughed a dry, humorless laugh. 'Imagine ME dreading to go back to there.'

But the young man sighed, knowing if he wanted to follow his dreams, he would have to go and talk to the Mediwitch. 'She better not tie me down to the damn bed again,' he thought, trying to push the memories of his suicidal weeks stuck in the infirmary away.

Harry apparated to the gates of Hogwarts, which were wide open. The long dark green grass set off in layers of waves across the rolling hills of the Hogwarts grounds. And speaking of the grounds-

"'arry!" Hagrid boomed, picking the boy off the ground to hug him tightly. Harry gasped, trying to pat the massive man.

"Oh! Hi Hagrid," Harry breathed, after being set down.

"How are yeh? Been travelin about?"

Harry shook his head. "No. Actually, I came to talk to Madam Pomfrey."

The Groundskeeper nodded, and let the man walk to the infirmary.

The school had sustained a lot of damage in The Battle of Hogwarts, but most had been repaired. The portraits and ghosts shouted out to him, greeting their 'savior'.

Finally, he arrived at the Hospital Wing. It looked creepy, being so dead with the bright white walls.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked, looking around the empty room.

"Mr. Potter!" Pomfrey exclaimed, as she came into the room. "Staying out of trouble, I presume? What are you doing here?"

Harry smiled slightly. "Yeah, I've been... good actually. I got an apartment in London, and I've been talking to Draco and Luna quite a bit." Harry paused. "And I'm here because I... kinda need a job, and I was wondering if you knew of anything."

Poppy thought for a second. "We need DADA, Transfigurations, Muggle Studies, and Potions professors. Professor Slughorn retired again," she explained.

Harry shook his head. "No, not a teaching job. I meant anything in the Medical field."

Poppy smiled. "They are always needing people at Saint Mungos, but you may not want the attention. I would offer you an apprenticeship to me, but I doubt you want to spend that much time with me. My advice is that you go on house-calls. It would be easiest on you... I had no idea you wanted to be a Mediwizard."

Harry smiled sheepishly. "Neither did I. I dunno..."

Poppy ordered tea, and the two sat, chatting idly for a while.

Suddenly, something occured to Harry. "You need a Transfigurations professor? Did McGonagol retire?"

Poppy gave him a surprised look. "No..." she said slowly. "She is Headmistress now."

Harry's eyebrows drew together. How had he not heard about this? "But what happened to Snape?"

Poppy grimaced slightly. "We don't know. Some time last month he just up and left, only stopping to inform Minerva of his decision of leaving. She said he said something strange about being set free and being in a prison."

Harry rubbed his gristly chin. "Was it when I was in here?" he questioned, a slight twinge of guilt springing into his heart, but he was unsure as to why. 'You don't have to care about that disgusting man. He was the one who pushed you to your death,' he told himself.

"I believe so. Right after you were brought here, actually."

And suddenly, Harry remembered. 'Stop. Stop, please. Please just leave. Just leave. Please...'

'Oh please. He's said way worse to you!'

'But he was trying to apologize, and I just told him to leave. And he cer-tain-ly did!'

'What would the apology have meant to you anyway, hmm? A little self-gratification? Would it have made you feel better, after all he said?'

'He just spoke the truth-'

'Knowing it would hurt you. Get over it, Harry. He is not in your life anymore. He is gone-'

'But where? Madam Pomfrey said he just left, and nobody knows where he went!'

Harry shook his head, trying to shut up the annoying inner argument going on. 'Its just Snape. He's not worth it.'

The voices shut up, and Harry figured, if they could, they'd be staring at him accusingly.

Sighing, Harry muttered, "So nobody knows where he went?"

Poppy shook her head, biting her lip worriedly. "You know, I think he was in my care more than you, between the Marauders, You Know Who, not to mention Tobias..."

"Isn't that his father's name?" A horrible image of a too short, too thin boy with long greasy black hair being beaten by his too large drunk father formed in his mind.

Poppy didn't answer, knowing Harry had understood. 'He shouldn't understand,' she thought, turning away. "I'm worried about him. He has a nasty habit of closing himself off when he is hurt."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "He's just left before?"

Poppy shook her head, looking guilty. "The first time it happened during his teaching career was after your mother's death. It also happened during third year and fifth."

Harry couldn't help but remember what Luna had said about his glamours... when they were at their weakest...

"He also shut himself away this past school year... but we did nothing..."

"How does he close himself off?" Harry asked. The man had had to close himself off from the Dursleys, both mentally and physically, when he was young. The best thing to not get injured was to hide away. Thats how his cupboard, despite being so small and dark, had become his savior.

"Well, he doesn't talk, doesn't eat, doesn't sleep, throws himself into his work, stays away from everyone, wears baggy clothes, and starts acting quite... submissive... You students were lucky you never had to deal with those times much. He always hid his problems from you."

Harry stared down into his tea, hoping his pleading words hadn't effected the man THAT much. Harry hated to be a cause of any pain, no matter the person. 'My inner Mediwizard,' he thought, smiling slightly. But then the smile faded again, thinking about the suffering the man had put himself through.

"Does no one know where he lives?" Harry asked.

"No... I... wish I did. I never got the chance to apoligize to him for last year..." At Harry's questioning look, she sighed. "The students weren't the only harsh ones to him. We were horrible, some of us going as far as to harm him physically. He had a bad fever for the majority of the year, but I refused to treat it... He retreated so far into himself, and none of us noticed, except Dobby. I think the elf tried to take care of the man the best he could, but Severus was just an empty shell, a robot, in Muggle terms. I think Severus bound Dobby to a magical secrecy oath, but the elf told me anyway..."

Harry shook his head. HE was starting to worry about his ex professor now...

He shook his head, standing up. "Thank you for your help. I need to go and study," Harry murmured blandly.

Pomfrey nodded. "If you ever need anything dear..."

Harry nodded absently, as he walked out the Infirmary doors.

A/N Well, that took me forever! Up next: Some revelations and a visit...

Review!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N Sorry it took so long, been busy. Gotta update something else today too.

Disclaimer: I don't own HP.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 13

'Healthcare in the wizarding world has always been a sore spot among Mediwitches and wizards. Most witches and wizards fail to take care of themselves, and often don't ask for help when injured. Aurors, Potions Masters, and Curse Breakers are often injured through their line of work, yet do not request help.'

Harry yawned. Yes, he wanted to become a Mediwizard, but reading all these boring texts and Medical journals was tedious and tiresome. They were just filled with long drawn out tales of how different diseases came to be and spirited debates over how to treat those particular ailments.

And then there were all the essays students studying as apprentices wrote. Since he wasn't an apprentice, he had to read through the long winded reports.

He sighed, tossing the reports aside, and picked up the daily prophet again. 'Minister Shacklebot Cleans Up Wizarding World: Umbridge sent to Azkaban'. Harry smiled.

'Hogwarts to Hire New Professors'. Harry sighed. He hated the fact that so many of the teachers were dead or fired or they quit.

He shook his head as he stood, stretching. He needed a distraction.

"Hello Ms. Malfoy," Harry smiled at the woman who was wearing olive green dress robes.

"Hello, Harry dear. I'm sorry, Draco isn't home." At Harry's raised eyebrow, she giggled girlishly. "He's out on a date. With Astoria."

Harry shook his head, smirking. "Shes good for him, I think."

Narcissa wrapped an arm around Harry, guiding him into the mansion. Unconsciously, the man leaned into the warming touch, causing Narcissa to frown, slightly. 'He's so starved for warmth and affection he accepts it from me!' Draco had informed her of the boy's glamours, and what had been under them. 'Draco only has a few scars, almost unnoticeable. But of course, he had me to help with his injuries. Harry probably had no one...'

When her son had told her of how the two of them had formed an uneasy friendship, she didn't believe him. After all, the blond boy had come home every year ranting and raving about 'Potter'. And then their enmity increased tenfold after Draco joined the Death Eaters.

'I didn't believe him when he said they made up... But of course, Harry did save both of us from Azkaban.' But it was when Draco told of the glamours and the wounds... Her motherly side took over, vowing to protect the young man.

"Are you all right? You look a bit peaky-"

"I've been studying," Harry said shortly. Narcissa's eyebrows drew together. After three months of getting to know the boy, she had found that when he talked like this, something was bothering him.

"What is wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, just being an overly sentimental Gryffandor, that's all." Harry winced, realizing he got that particular comment from Snape.

Narcissa shook her head. "You are a horrible liar Harry Potter."

He shrugged. "I dunno, I can-" he cut himself off.

There was a long silence. By now, Harry knew that, somehow, Draco and Narcissa had found out at least something about his old home life.

"Were you ever that close to Snape?" Harry asked slowly and deliberately, as though he wanted to know, but it pained him.

Narcissa considered the question. There was too much that she knew, too much she had done for the man, and he returned the favor.

"Not all that close... Not on a personal level anyway. But due to... circumstances... I did indeed know him well." Narcissa closed her eyes as a memory resurfaced...

***Flashback***

Narcissa looked in the room her husband exited. As normal, there was Severus.

She slipped in, as quiet and innocuous as a moth, kneeling next to the man who was breathing rapidly.

"You shouldn't have come," she hissed, glaring at the man as he sat up wincing. It was hard to look into his broken eyes and his red blotchy face and not feel guilt.

"I-I kn-know. Harder... 'raco... Though..." he wheezed out, shivering from the effects of the Cruciatus curse.

Narcissa shook her head. "Its my duty to look after Draco. I am his mother."

Severus stood unsteadily, grabbing his bleeding midsection. "You might wanna try actin like it zumthimes," Severus slurred, drugs still zooming around in his system.

Narcissa looked away, knowing it to be true. Lucius used to be happy, until around Draco's second year. Of course, the man had always been tough on their son, saying, "A Malfoy must be perfect. We are the waxy pore-free faces of society."

But whenever Draco messed up from that time onward, there was always consequences, usually a nice dose of torture curses. Every once in a while, the man would get physical, but he had a desk job. Not much exercise = not that fit.

But it wasn't until a little after the Dark Lord had risen that Lucius discovered Severus's true alliances. The younger man begged Malfoy Sr not to tell, saying he'd do anything. "Anything, hmm?" Lucius had replied, smiling maliciously.

It had been the dark haired man's screams, tears, and cries for mercy that the blond wanted. The seemingly endless nights of torture, the boiling water, the BAD touches, the knives, the needles, the drugs, the whips, the curses...

The only upside had been that Draco was left alone.

Severus could have stopped coming any time, Lucius was bored, worn out of the man. But he had to take care of Draco. Besides his obligation to save Potter, that was all he had.

Narcissa wrapped her arm around the man in tattered clothes, ignoring the motherly tears that welled in her blue eyes as he flinched. "P-Please don't t-tou-touch me. N-Not af-aft-ter..."

She nodded as she lead him out, handing him her hidden Medi-kit as he slipped away.

***End Flashback***

"I have a feeling that those circumstances, weren't the best..." Harry muttered.

A rage tore through Narcissa, a rage like none other. "DAMN LUCIUS!" she screamed, standing up and knocking a vase to the ground. "He just HAD to hurt everyone weaker than him! He. Ruined. EVERYTHING!"

She fell in a heap, crying, thinking about her son's lost childhood, her love and affection dimmed, and Severus destroyed.

Harry quickly helped the woman to her feet, and brought her to sit on the couch, before summoning a bowl of warm water and tweezers, along with disinfectant and wraps. With an amount of precision no eighteen year old should have, he plucked the glass shards from her hands, before washing them, applying the disinfectant and the bandages.

"Are you all right, Ms. Malfoy?" Harry asked, as the woman stared blankly at her now mummied-up hands.

She swallowed hard. "Now, I know you are training to he a Mediwizard and all, but no one without proper training should be able to manage this on their first try."

Harry shrugged, albeit rather stiffly. "It wasn't my first time."

Narcissa sighed. She wanted the boy to open up to her, but she knew it wouldn't be done easily. He seemed fine, perfectly sociable, having an apartment, planning for the future... But the boy HAD tried to kill himself earlier that summer. She wasn't sure as to the reasons why, but he couldn't have gone from a lonely depressed young man to a perfectly happy one. She imagined his mind was a mess, but he was pushing his problems back.

"When was your first time?" she asked, as Harry continued to look away. Se wanted to scream, 'LOOK AT ME!' She wanted him to look into her tired face and eyes to see the love the caring in them.

"I don't know."

There was silence.

"Harry, you know you can tell me anyth-"

"Its not important anymore. All right?" Harry growled.

Narcissa sighed, looking away. 'If only he let the Sorting Hat do its job, he would have been helped away from his home situation. Or at least the situation made to be tolerable. Oh, Severus...'

"Have you talked to Professor Snape recently?" she asked quietly, a worried, pained expression flittering across her features.

The boy sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "No. And he's not a professor anymore. He quit."

Narcissa nodded. "I can see why. He was more or less forced to stay in that castle all the time, except for summer."

Harry's stomach lurched. "Did he have a house?"

She nodded. "Number 24 Spinners End, in Cokeworth. Its pretty far up North, a disgusting factory district." She scrunched up her nose.

Harry nodded, trying to remember where he heard that... Oh!

'I am in need of a job brewing potions. Contact at 24 Spinners End, Cokeworth through Floo. Send your owl for a résumé.'

Somehow, this made Harry feel uneasy. It seemed very unlike his teacher to do something like putting an advertisement for his skills in the Daily Prophet.

"Harry, dear? Is everything all right?" Narcissa asked, taking in the boy's creased facial expression.

"Uh, I don't know, really..." he muttered. The more he thought about his teachers words, the job begging, and Narcissa's worried expression when mentioning the man...

"I have to go," he said suddenly, apparating away before Narcissa could say another word.

A/N Lets take a trip to Spinners End... Review


	14. Chapter 14

A/N Heres this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Save Me, No One

Chapter 14

After focusing hard on the supposed address of Severus Snape, Harry landed (again, ungracefully on his bum) in a very disused neighborhood that smelled like gasoline, smoke, and alcohol. The buildings were tall, but thin, all done in a dark red brick. In the distance, a falling down mill stood on a hillside, playing guardian to the sea and the town.

Harry coughed slightly, the smoke from the factories and the strong smell of kerosene burning his throat and lungs.

He stood looking around. The street was narrow, and orange streetlights flickered ominously, making the fog surrounding him feel more like a thick woolen blanket. But despite that, the wind was biting, tearing at his summer Muggle clothes. Little droplets of rain made those annoying spots on his glasses that would smear if he wiped them off. 'I could use magic, but what if he lives in a Muggle community?' Harry guessed that was the case, seeing as there was streetlights instead of lanterns.

He looked up at Number 24 Spinners End with a sense of foreboding mingling with his apprehension. The house was in severe need of refurbishing, much like the other houses on the block. Only, his house seemed a bit more closer to being on the To Be Condemned List. The bricks were colapsing in some places, and several of the thick dirty windows were cracked or totally broken. A few even had boards covering them. The door was crooked, sort of halfway hanging from the hinges.

"At least he doesn't live in a dungeon and sleep in a coffin," Harry muttered, though he still felt uneasy. 'Why was Snape's house so bad off?'

The boy knocked quietly on the door, afraid that if he did make a louder sound, people-no-Inferi would come charging out of the mist. Or toothless perverts or half-naked women-

'Darn you, Charles Dickens!' Harry sighed, shaking his head. He knocked harder.

The door was slowly opened, to reveal an ebony eye, a long roman-hooked nose, and a strand of lank black hair.

"Professor?" Harry almost whispered. There was something wrong, he could see it in the man's eyes.

The door was painfully pushed the rest of the way open, as Snape turned, walking into the dark rooms. Harry followed, biting his lip nervously.

The room he was lead into was small, but not cramped. It only had a chair, coffee table, and a couch; everything well worn and beat up. The bookshelves, that were probably once stuffed with books, were nearly empty, looking as though something had taken huge bites out of the rows of literature. Severus settled into the chair in the darkened corner, Harry on the couch. The teenager waited for the man to serve tea, which was typical. But no tea came, only a question.

"W-what a-ar-re you d-do-oing her-ere?" Snape asked throatily, his voice hoarse from disuse. Harry felt a stab of annoyance that his Professor was remaining in the shadows, while he sat on the threadbare couch.

"I came to check up on you. You have everyone at Hogwarts worried to death! And you have been holed up in HERE?" Harry growled, a strange anger overtaking him.

Snape had sunken down into a big chair. "Harry-"

"DONT! Do NOT call me Harry! You think just because you stopped me from killing myself you have the right?!"

Severus flinched back further into the shadows. His voice quiet, the man whispered, "I kn-know I do not h-ha-ave the right. But-"

"But nothing! You know, you were the one that pushed me into that state in the first place!" Harry ranted, enjoying how his enemy was withdrawing further into the shadows. All the bottled up emotions Harry had accumulated came rushing out full force at the man.

"YOU DESTROYED ME! Don't you understand?! YOU destroyed ME!" Harry collapsed wrapping his arms protectively around himself. "It shouldn't have hurt that much. But ya know what? It did."

Harry shook himself, hating that he lost control. "I shouldn't have come."

"P-Po-t-t-te-er," came a trembling voice. Harry froze. There was something wrong with the man. Very wrong.

The inner Mediwizard took over, as he swooped down on the man, enchanting all the lights on. Harry took the man's face into his slightly trembling hands, forcing the man to look up.

Harry nearly choked.

Severus was so gaunt, worse than Harry ever got at the Dursleys. His skin looked as though it was made of flour, as white and chalky as it was. The cheeks were flushed a dark red though, making the dark circles under the man's dead eyes stand out even more. Snape's hair was longer, greasier. The man had kept up on his shaving at least. But the clothes he wore! Baggy trousers, extremely loose woolen socks, a big moth holed t shirt, with a thick loose cardigan over it, all in a dingy dark grey color. All those clothes only made the emaciated man look smaller and weaker.

"Professor?!" Harry exclaimed, seeing the glassy eyes, and feeling how hot he was. The man though, was shivering, eyeing a pile of rumpled, thin, patched up blankets on the couch with a strong wanting, that made the young Mediwizard sick to his stomach. "Professor, what happened?"

The man sunk further into the chair, trying to escape Harry's hands. "Pl-please d-don't tou-t-touch my s-sk-kin. Pleas-se!"

Harry nodded, letting go, worriedly. "When was the last time you have eaten?"

The man closed his tired eyes, breathing in through his nose a few times. "A few weeks ag-ago," he said slowly, steadying his voice. "Funds ran out... Stupid employers... Death Eater... Worked for Light... Crappy teaching salaries," was muttered bitterly. Harry nodded, trying to string some semblance of an actual sentence together from the jumbled phrases.

Then it hit him. 'A FEW WEEKS?!'

Harry quickly cast a packing charm for Snape, but the only things that flew into the awaiting bag were a couple well-worn robes, a few thick notebooks, some pictures, his teaching clothes, and more of the baggy grey clothes the man wore now. Snape, as weak and sick as he was, didn't notice.

"We're leaving," Harry muttered, more to himself than the nearly unconscious man. He was surprised at his rashness, his decision about taking Snape away. But... He really shouldn't be. After all, he was a rash Gryffandor.

Harry felt anger and guilt. Anger at the man, for drawing out THESE emotions. Guilt, for causing the man all the suffering.

'You didn't cause this, you dunderhead. You told him to leave you alone; not quit his job, leave Hogwarts, move into a crappy building, run out of money, starve, freeze, get sick...'

Harry shook his head hard, Trying to clear the annoying voice out of his head. He needed his wits about him if he was going to Apparate Snape to his home.

'My home,' Harry thought, bewilderedly. 'Oh, Harry Potter, what have you got yourself into now?'

A/N And we travel to Harry's home. Healing anyone? And something bad...

Review


	15. Chapter 15

A/N Here we go again!

Disclaimer: Believe me, I don't have the patience to write books that have an average of 700 pages per book.

Plus, I'm a freshman... So yeah. Third day of school tomorrow. Yippie.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 15

Severus slowly opened his eyes, but they refused to go much further than halfway up. He felt warm, a strange feeling, since he was in his unheated house. The blankets wrapped around him were very thick, soft as well. His eyes were blurry, but he could hear the sizzling of a teapot and the crackling of turning pages from a book.

A soft knock sounded through the blurry room, and there were light footsteps moving across the floor. A door opened.

"Hello dear," came a soft, cool voice he knew he should recognize.

"Hello, Ms. Ma-Black," came a gentle male voice. 'Ms. Black?'

"How are you?" the female voice asked, moving farther into the room.

"Same as always."

"Ah. So tired?"

"Pretty much. A bit worried too..."

"About... him?"

'Narcissa!' his mind finally figured out. 'But who's the other one?'

"Yes... He has only woken up a few times, but he was pretty... disoriented. Called me Lily, once."

Severus mentally groaned. 'Potter?' But then the events of the boy's res-er-visit came to mind. He was half dead when Potter came, not having ate or slept much since he resigned from Hogwarts. He had ate from garbage cans over the three weeks, after his little amount of savings had finally been used up. Thinking about THOSE experiences caused him a great deal of both shame and pain.

"He seems better than when you first called everyone here. Has he gained some weight?" Narcissa asked, her voice worried. Severus blanched. The woman never 'worried' about him when her husband would... do things... Or what of the rumors about how he was the Dark Lord's favorite torture subject. Why did she pity him now?

"Not much. I got him up a stone, (not that that's much, considering he was at six stone), but he will need to take several nutritive potions when he wakes up. I had an IV attached to him, to get in food and water, and... emptied his bladder and such with spells..." Severus guessed all three of them were blushing. "I did FINALLY get that bloody fever down to 101`F, but he still has the throat infection."

"That is very good! Poppy should be proud," Narcissa gushed. Harry blushed redder.

"Its just the basics. But it was touch and go for the first few days. He was... submerged in memories, but he didn't speak all that much."

"How has your studying been?"

"Fine. I've been working whenever he doesn't need me. I've about got everything down, just need to go take a test at the Ministry," Harry muttered.

There was more talking for a bit, but Snape's mind was elsewhere.

'Where am I, anyway? And why are Narcissa and Potter talking?'

After a while, the blond left, and Severus drifted off again, though not for long.

"Hello Harry, Professor Snape," came the voice of Luna Lovegood.

"Hey Luna. Snape's still aslee- Hullo professor," Harry muttered sheepishly, seeing the glassy ebony colored orbs looking up at him.

Severus sat up a bit on the thick pillows, glad his eyes were more focussed now. "I-," Snape rasped, swallowing hard, as Harry handed him a glass of water.

"How'd you get here?" Harry asked Luna, as she set a paper bag down beside Severus's bed, or rather pull out couch.

"Oh, I rode Kevin," she said looking around the room. "Honestly Harry. Where is the color?"

"I haven't had time. And who, may I ask, is Kevin?" Harry asked, confusedSeverus looked at the teens, seeing they looked much more like adults than he remembered them.

"He's a Threstal that has been resting near my house. How are you professor?" the strange girl asked, turning to face the sickly man, who hd finished the water.

"Fine," he muttered stiffly, trying to untangle him from the sheets that were trapping his legs.

"Oh no you don't! I did NOT just spend this last week healing you for you to go off and- DONT MAKE ME CURSE YOU!"

The two men were staring (glaring) at each other, eye to eye, since they were both on the short side, and Snape was hunched over.

"There's your true Mediwizard spirit shining through. You're turning into a real Madam Pomfrey Jr." Harry stared at the girl as she sat down in a chair, looking up at the ceiling.

The two men shuddered.

"Sit down. I brought Professor Snape some Gnocco Soup," Luna ordered. Harry sat down at the table, flipping the bed up so Snape could sit more comfortably on the couch. The older man looked extremely uneasy.

"Do I even want to know?" Snape asked warily, as he sunk into the couch. The sofa was as worn as his own, only it was soft faux-suede, as opposed to the rough leather of his. The room was immensely warm, but he still shivered, pulling the loose grey-blue sweats he was wearing tighter around himself. Luna conjured a dark rust-colored blanket, and had it wrap itself around the very skinny man.

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. Are Gnoccos harmful creatures?"

Luna gave both of them a weirded-out look. "Gnocco is Italian for dumpling. Honestly," she muttered, shaking her head.

Harry nodded. "I knew that."

There was brief silence, as Snape slowly ate the thick creamy soup. But after only a few bites, his stomach clenched painfully, making him groan. "Easy. Don't overdue it," Harry admonished sternly, quickly taking away the Styrofoam bowl, and replacing the lid. "Long periods of starvation tends to shrink your stomach..."

Luna stopped looking around with glazed eyes, and turned the sharp sapphire portals to Harry. "Part of your studies?"

"No," Harry replied tersely, busying himself in the kitchenette. "Just an assumption."

"Of course," Luna replied, her voice thick. Severus turned his own eyes to her, wondering...

"Have you visited Draco and Ms. Ma-Black?" Luna asked.

Severus's eyebrows furrowed. "Why are you both referring to Narcissa as a Black, now?"

Harry paused in his rummaging. "Narcissa and Malfoy do not belong together. She is a good woman."

Luna nodded, pushing her hair from her face. "It is a very good thing that man is locked away. Otherwise, I might have been inclined to use some of my mother's spells on him..."

Harry laughed darkly. "Yeah. Bloody bastard. Draco and Ms. Black look a ton better, without him 'round."

Luna smiled sadly. "You look better too, though still too skinny and tired."

Harry shrugged, albeit rather stiffly. "What can I say? I've got my test coming up."

"Test?" Severus asked. What had he missed in his exile.

"I am training to become a Mediwizard, and before you say anything, I never wanted to become an Auror. That was James," Harry rolled his eyes, though Severus noted a certain level of bitterness that seeped into his words.

Luna smiled, seemingly oblivious. "They are weakening again, Harry."

Severus felt confused, but Potter didn't see to, as he ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Through it, he shouted, "Uck! Pathetic!" Then a shower started, making Snape rub his head.

"I think I'm delusional or something..."

Luna laughed, adjusting the straps of her burgundy overalls. "No. He's just trying to relax... And separate himself from us."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

'Why would Potter feel the need to isolate himself from people?' But Severus was sure he knew the answer...

Then Luna started to speak.

A/N I know, I'm evil!

Next chapter = Sev learning a bit about the Boy Who Survives.

Review! And once again, please no chainsaws, guillotines, Unforgivables, etc.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N What will Luna say?

Oh, and Gnocco is the singular word for dumpling. Gnocchi is dumplings.

Disclaimer: Would I even have to write one if I owned HP? I think not.

Save Me, No One

Chapter 16

Luna sighed heavily. "When he gets too close to people, feels safe, or wants his secrets to be known, his... his glamours... they weaken..."

Severus looked at her, his eyes calculating, but it lost the effect, since they were sunken in, and bright with fever.

"You knew, didn't you." It was not a question.

"Yes. After the final battle, right after it... In the hospital wing. I wanted to, say something, I think. But I had nothing I could say, nothing I could do. He is an adult, an adult that had a deep loathing for me... A loathing I had cultivated throughout the years, and only nurtured it more when he came to my office, looking for..."

'What had the boy been looking for? Hope, happiness, redemption, love, answers? All of the above?'

"It isn't your fault. His emotions were raw, with Ginny, Hermione, Ron, everyone abandoning him. They were all still kids, going off and having dates while he was busy pushing for Draco and Narcissa's release, and you to have a portrait and be buried beside Dumbledore and- I know, I'm rambling, but its unfair! All of it!"

Severus nodded in agreement, staring at the brick patch that was Harry's window.

"First, he looses his parents, and then... He goes THERE."

Severus looked towards the closed bathroom door, wondering if the boy's glamours were still holding...

"They tortured him in every way imaginable. They starved him, that's why he's so small, though he's worse under the glamours. They beat him, mostly his uncle and cousin. They made him do all the chores, even cook, and he couldn't eat. In second year, my first year, I had heard from Ginny that he had a bladder infection. They didn't even let him go to the bathroom!"

She closed her eyes, hating the cold whiteness of the room. Almost instantly, a light golden color coated the walls and ceiling. Luna smiled softly, though it was a sad, haunted smile. "He would only ever say anything right after he got back to school. I stayed with him, just us in a compartment on a train. The first time, we knew each other, pretty well. He listened to me, and I liked that. Officially, we 'met' in his fifth year, but really, we met in his second. But when I really noticed something was wrong... It was my third year..."

***Flashback***

Luna sat down on the seat across from Harry. It was chilly on the train, yet the boy wore a grey shirt, so worn, it was, that it looked like the lint that comes out of a muggle dryer, sowed together into the shape of a very holey, dirty shirt. He also wore a huge pair of navy blue drawstring sweatpants, and what used to be white trainers. He shook, his face contorted in discomfort, making his bruises and marks of tiredness look strained against his unnaturally pale face.

"Harry?" Luna asked, gently, as she reached a hand out to the boy.

"Yeh Luna?" he slurred, as he carefully avoided her hand. The girl smelt a strong mixture of medicine, and alcohol in the air.

"Are you drunk? Or on drugs?" She knew his home life wasn't the greatest. He was well known for saying he hated his relatives... but doing drugs just to irritate them?

"Hey dunt blame me! I di'nt take drugs on purposs!" he exclaimed, angrily, his face seeming healthier.

Luna looked confused. "What do you mean you didn't take them on purpose?" She leaned in closer, despite the smell. "Was it the Nargles?"

Harry looked at her disgusted. "It wasn't because of the bloody Nargles!" he shouted hoarsely. Swallowing, he whispered, "I was forc'd."

Luna's eyebrows raised, as Harry sunk back into his seat. "Who?!"

Harry sighed, rolling over onto his side, wincing. "Not 'posed ta tell..."

"Harold James Potter, you tell me this instance!" the teen girl yelped, jumping to her feet. The boy flinched, before sighing again.

"You mus' swear on yur magic that yull neva tell a'yone. Swear i'."

Luna felt cornered. If he was in danger, she would really need to tell an adult... but... the curiosity of a Ravenclaw won out.

"All right. I swear."

***End Flashback***

"It was his relatives. Wasn't it," Severus muttered bitterly.

Luna nodded, tears swimming.

"You would never believe the things they did to him. Yes, they starved him, but for days on end, and he had to do sooo many chores on top of that! Yes, they would beat him, but not only with their fists. He's terrified of belts, you know. Refuses to wear them. And then there were all the other less common things they did: Forcing him into a bathtub filled with boiling water, taking away his blankets, refusing medicine when he's sick or injured... Except the year before fourth. He learned not to complain real fast."

Severus didn't even have to ask why. When the boy asked for relief from whatever plagued him, they had obviously drugged him, probably by feeding him almost everything in their medicine cabinet. Severus wished what he thought was an educated guess. But no. He knew from experience.

The rest of the information slowly leaked into his foggy brain. Starved, but forced to do chores? Including making the very food he was denied? Beaten? With a belt? So afraid of the inanimate object he was afraid to wear one? Drugging him? Baths of boiling water?

All of those dreadful things crashed into his heavy heart, leaving cracks in the already lopsided, damaged organ. But for some reason, the fact that those... creatures... took away the child's blankets... That just felt so heinous and hideous to him, and he didn't know why!

An image of a small shivering child in a dark room, wishing for some warmth, some love, something to force the cold away, leaked past his Occlumency barriers. He tried to shut the image out, but it didn't work.

The child was thin, pale, and had long, black, straight hair, except for the ends, which curled slightly. When the child lifted his face, pink lines ran down the child's pale face, coming from the heartbroken black eyes.

Only now, the eyes flooded with green, and were forced behind crooked round glasses. The hair shortened a little, becoming like a tangled mob of dirty black hair...

He and Potter-They were one and the same.

A/N Getting to know each other, and something bad to come... Review!


	17. PLEASE READ

A/N This isn't an actual Chapter, just saying.

First order of business, I am sooooo sorry for my long Hiatus. School started, I couldn't figure out how to continue, etc, etc, etc.

I started up another account (Pozagee) and have been writing under that name.

You see, I read through the stories on here (this profile) and was disgusted! I couldn't believe how bad at grammar and actual story lines I was! And the Harry abuse in these...bleah! I made it totally unrealistic!

Anyway, my writing has drastically improved since then. Therefore, I offer you (the readers) a few choices:

1.) I take down these stories, edit them, and repost them here (under Evelyn Ravenclaw).

2.) I take down the stories, edit them, and repost them under Pozagee.

3.) I edit the chapters, then "replace" the chapters on their corresponding stories, on here.

4.) I keep them as is, and they never get completed.

Its your guys' choice. But if you do choose the "change them" option (any of them), the changes won't be HUGE! There will be some plot changes, less abuse, MORE plot, longer chapters, better grammar/spelling, etc.

So please review/PM me to tell me what you think.

Thank you for your patience!


	18. The Decision

Hello all. I had many responses telling me to do different things for the stories. I decided that I will take down and repost the one-shots on my new page, and leave the multi-chaps as they are, up here. However, I will be editing them anyway, and posting them on my new page. They will be better, and different, but have similar concepts and such. The reason for me doing it this way is people liked both ideas.

Anyway, if you would like to find the one-shots, the better versions of these stories, and my other stories, visit the author Pozagee. Thanks!


End file.
